Muni officials search for cause of train crash

Published 4:00 am, Monday, June 16, 2008

San Francisco Municipal Railway officials are investigating whether human or mechanical error caused an accident between two Muni trains Saturday that sent 12 people to the hospital, and said they expect to release more information about the crash Monday.

A total of 16 people, including the operators of both vehicles, were injured in the crash, which occurred when a one-car T-Third train slammed into the back of a two-car N-Judah train near AT&T Park on Saturday afternoon. Both trains were on King Street between Third and Fourth streets, headed in the direction of the Caltrain station, when the T-Third rear-ended the N-Judah. The N-Judah train was stopped at the time of the crash, waiting for a traffic signal to change.

All of the injuries were non-life-threatening, officials said. No information was available Sunday about the status of the injured passengers or operators.

The transit agency is working with police to determine why the T-Third did not stop, spokesman Judson True said. He gave no indication Sunday whether operator error or mechanical failure appears to be the cause of the accident, noting that the investigation is still under way.

The president of the union that represents Muni drivers could not be reached Sunday. True said both operators were tested for drugs and alcohol after the crash, but the results of those tests will not be known for several days. The agency's protocol requires that any operator involved in an accident be immediately tested and put on nondriving status until the investigation is complete.

The light-rail vehicles used on the Metro system run on an automated control system when they are underground, meaning that much of the control is out of a driver's hands. When the trains are on city streets, however - as both vehicles were on Saturday - the drivers are in full control of the vehicles.

True said street supervisors, also known as switch inspectors, are responsible for keeping the trains on schedule but have no control over their movements.

"The inspectors do not control the normal train traffic," he said. "In general, on the street, LRV operators are expected to obey traffic signals. The inspectors are there to work on keeping trains close to their schedules and to clear delays when needed."

The trains were damaged in the crash and have been pulled out of service, True said.

"Both trains are being looked at over the next few days to see the extent of the damage, how long they will be out of service, and the cost (to repair) the damage," he said. "We do expect to have enough trains to provide all of our scheduled service."

Muni officials plan to meet early this morning and will probably release more information about the crash and the drivers involved after that meeting.